Reel inserts



April 3, 1962 Filed Deo. l. 1959 H. GERBER 3,028,113

REEL INSERTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

April 3, 1962 H. GERBER 3,028,113

REEL INsERTs Filed DeC. l, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOIL /VOWA/P G5955?- H. GERBER REEL INSERTS April 3, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed D80. l. 1959 A Tron/5;(

3,028,113 REEL INSERTS Howard Gerber, Chester, Pa., assignor to Morris Martel, Havertown, Pa. Filed Dec. 1, 1959, Ser. No. 856,559 2 Claims. (Cl. ZAM-74.1)

This invention relates to winding of web material, such `as lm, tape, or the like, concerning especially repeated unidirectional winding thereof without necessity of rewinding, together with means for accomplishing that'purpose.

It is customary in showing motion pictures, for example, to unwind lm from a reel upon` which it is stored in spiral configuration, pass the lm past the lens system of a projector, and then wind the film temporarily onto another reel ,from which it must be back-Wound to bring the leading edge of the film to the outside of the spiral configuration. Such back-winding is normally a prerequisite to subsequent unwinding in the proper direction forshowing the movie again. A similar back-winding problem occurs. with single-track magnetic tape, for example, upon which impulses corresponding to music, pictures, or other intelligence` have been stored, and the same` is true of any funicular articlehaving characteristics such thatit is desirablyy runV or scanned unidirectionally. For simplicity, al-l articles adapted to such an operation are denoted generally herein by the term web whether in the `form of iilm, ribbon, tape, wire, or other funicular shape, and the term hlm is employed as a more specic example.

While means andmethods are knownior withdrawing a `spirally wound web from the center of the spiral coniguration, rather than in the customary manner from the outside thereof, the various devices for that purpose have not achieved significant commercial acceptance, especially in the instance of motion-picture projection. This is attributable at least in part to complexity in designl and ditculty or uncertainty in operation of such devices, leading to malfunctioning, maintenance problems, and increased costs-al1 in spite of the obvious desirability of eliminating the annoying and timeconsuming back-winding operation, which itself is often deleterious to the film because. of the increased speed usually employed and the4 accompanying abrasion, snagging, and whipping of the lm.

A primary object yof the present invention is an improvement in a procedure for unwinding a-spirally wound web from the spiral configuration thereof and rewinding it into like spiral configuration without end-for-end reversal of the web. An object is enhanced procedural convenience in converting. a. reel upon which film is wound inY spiral configuration from a film-receiving condition toa condition whereinV the lm is adapted to unwind from the center thereof. A further object is provision of reelsv with inserts adapted to facilitate performance ot such a procedure. A particular object is production of improved means for retaining the end of a web beingwoundonto a receiving reel. Other objects of this invention, together with means and methods for attaining thevarious objects, will. be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a motion-picture projector equipped with reels and associated apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is -a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG 1; FIG. 3 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a portion of the apparatus of the preceding general views. FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the adapter or insert for the upper orV delivery reel (suggested here-in phantom) conforming to the apparatus of the general views; FIG. 5 is a rear eleveation of the apparatus ofy FIG. 4; FIG. 6

0 ceding views.

3,028,113 Fatented Apr. 3, 1962 is a side elevation ofthe upper `or delivery' reel, including the apparatus of FIGS. 4 and' 5, taken at VI-VI of FIG. l to show the side concealed in FIG. 2; FIGS. 6a` and 6b are transversesections of portions of the same apparatus, taken at Vla-Vla and VIb--VIb of FIG'. 6'. FIG. 7 is `a front elevation of the adapter or' insert' for the bottom reel (suggested here in phantom) conforming to the apparatus of the general views; FIG. 8 is `a side elevation of the same apparatus partly cut away, taken at VIII-VIII of FIG. 1 to show the' side concealed in FIG. 2; FIG. 9 is a side elevation of theladapter of FIG. 8, removed from the reel; FIG. 10 is an enlarged ltransverseA section of the same taken at X--X of FIG; 9; vand FIG. l'l is a medial section thereof, taken at XI--XI of FIG. 10.

In general, the objects ofV the present invention are accomplished ina substantially cylindrical' windup or receiving insert for an open-center reel having side anges, by means of an arm retained movably thereon between two extreme positions, the arm being adapted in one extreme position/ro protrude between' the side anges and help support web material wound on the reel and adapted' simultaneously to retainA the inner' end of the web material fixed with respect to the-v insert within the center of` the reel, the arm when' in that one extreme position preventing removal of the insert` from the reel, the armv being withdrawn from between the side ilanges in the secondy extreme position and adapted to slacken the web on the reel 4and to release the inner end of the web withy respect to the insert, the insert being removable from the reelonly with the armwithdrawn in the second position. The inventionv includes detent means carried by the insert in contact with the arm and adapted to hold the arm at eachof the two extreme positions in the absence of external pressure upon the arm effective to move ity -frorn one position to the other. Afcooperating delivery insert for use in such a reel when. unwindinlg is also describedherein.-

FIG. l1 shows` from the front, and FIG. 2 from the right side, motion-picture projector 11 comprising generally housing l2 on base 13 and having lens system 15 located midway of the housing, with flange 16 at one side thereof. Carried on the ange are upper projector arm or reel support 21 and lower reel support 22. Spindle` 25 is mounted at the front on the upper support, while spindle 26 is mounted at the front on the `lower support, both spindles extending horizontally to the right side of the rojector (i`.e., to the left in FIG. 1). The flange also carries top landbottoxn drive sprockets 28- and 29, respectively, each anked by plurality of idler pulleys 40, and each driven by mechanism llocated inside the body of the projector as is wholly conventional (and, therefore, not shown or described further here) Upper or top reel 31 is visible above and ahead of the lens, while lower or bottom reel 32 is located below and similarly. ahead of the lens, each reel being located coaxial with its respective spindle. Film 1 is shown unwinding. in. the direction of the arrow fromthe top reel and winding onto the bottom reel. Each reel has associated with it an adapter or insert centered within and supporting it on the spindle, top andbottom adapters or inserts 41 and 42, respectively, carrying the respective reels. Thereels themselves are identical, andeach'has an open center to receive the adapter or insert. Details of the reel construction are visible in the next View.

FIG. 3 shows, in elevation (partly cut away and in section), reel 30 useful according to the present invention, corresponding to both the top and bottom reels (previously designated specifcally as 31 and 32.) of the pre'- TheV section is taken midway of'pair of flat annular flanges. ."aila,.30bl (only part of each one" being visible in this view), each quadrant of which isv skeleton- 3 ized between the circular periphery and concentric inner edge, as is customary to save weight and material and to reveal the amount of iilm wound thereon. Semicircular indentation 33 appears in the inner edge of ange 31H7. Pins 8 are spaced uniformly at an acute angle from one another about the inner edge portion of the llanges, except for omission of any such pin at the rightmost of such equally spaced locations (below the indentation), with their ends swaged or otherwise rigidly interconnected thereto. Each pin has roller 18 rotatively carried on it between the flanges, the roller being slightly shorter than the transverse spacing of the iianges. It will be apparent that together the rollers constitute an inner support for iilrn wound onto the reel, serving the purpose of a more conventional hub and also permitting the lilm to be Withdrawn into open center of the reel and then transversely out therefrom by means of the adapter or insert shown in previous views and revealed in greater detail in the next several views. According to this invention the film is supported at the location from which the pin (and roller) are omitted, as set forth below in the description of the lower or receiving adapter or insert.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show upper or delivery adapter or insert 41 from the front (i.e., viewed in the same direction as in FIG. l) and rear, respectively, but with the film removed and with the reel, spindle, and spindle-supporting arm fragmentarily indicated in phantom. The shape of the adapter or insert is generally cylindrical. It is bored not only to receive the spindle but also bored and threaded parallel and perpendicular thereto to receive two screws, as shown. Thumb screw 43 threads transversely (perpendicular to the axial bore) downward into the insert near its edge next to the spindle-supporting arm of the projector and into contact with the spindle, while thumb screw 45 threads longitudinally (parallel to the axial bore) through the insert and into contact with the projector arm. Helical pathway or track 48, with central groove-like recess 49, winds its way around the peripheral surface, beginning at the lower right in FIG. 5 and ending at the lower right in FIG. 4 (as suggested by the phantom representation of film and the accompanying arrow). It will be apparent that in the vicinity of the pathway the peripheral surface of the insert is nearer the axis (i.e., reduced in radius) slightly, as indicated at 3S, which appears as an arcuate slot in FIG. 2; this facilitates escape of the lrn from the reel into the pathway.

Readily visible in FIG. 4 but nearly hidden in FIG. 5 is L-shaped bracket 44, which rises from the peripheral surface of the insert near the edge next to the projector arm, and extends at a right angle thereto into contact with the nearer ange of the reel and partly bridging the helical pathway. Flange 51 carrying semicylindrical boss 53 (which tits into the semicircular indentation of a reel ange, shown in FIG. 3) is Visible in FIG. 5 along the left side of the reel next to the projector arm; only a portion of the flange is visible in FIG. 4, but FIG. 4 shows protruding ball detent 52, which rests against the inner edge of the reel ange contacted on its opposite or outer surface by the ange of the insert.

FIG. 6 and detailed sectional views 6a and 6b reveal further details of the construction of delivery adapter 41, together with the reel into which it tits and the supporting spindle. Spindle has customary protrusion 55, which tits into one of three equidistant slots 56 in axial bore 58 of the insert, as shown in FIG. 6. Film l unwinding from the reel in the direction indicated by the arrow is shown in broken lines at the early part of its path, hetween right lower roller 1S (also shown in broken lines) and the recessed pathway about the insert, and subsequently as a solid line. FIG. 6a shows a medial transverse section of the insert and the closely associated parts of the reel, taken from upper left to lower right as indicated in FIG. 6. Two rollers are visible within the plane of the section, with a multiplicity ot layers of surround- Ving unwinding ilm also indicated. Film 1, with one of sprocket holes 61, is visible passing from behind the roller Crt at the lower right onto the pathway in the peripheral surface of the insert, as previously suggested. Boss 53 on ange 51 of the insert is engaged in the corresponding indentation in tiange Sib of the reel. Shown threaded into the side of the insert so as to intersect the portion of the bracket recessed into the peripheral surface is set screw 54, which holds the bracket in place.

FIG. 6b is a transverse section taken through the location of one ball detent 52 as indicated in FIG. 6i. Generally cylindrical recess 62 receives compression spring 63 at the inner end, and ball detent 52 at the surface. The detent has a hernispherical surface protruding beyond the peripheral surface of the insert (4l) and a flat cylindrical base resting against the spring. The width or diameter of the base is greater than that of the opening `formed in annular surface layer or collar 64 of the insert surrounding the ball portion so as to retain the detent in place against the compression of the spring. Such collar configuration may be provided by leaving an excess of insert material in the vicinity of the recess (formed by drilling, for example), inserting the spring and the detent and holding them Well toward the inner end of the recess, then swaging or upsetting the material to cover the base of the detent with collar-like layer 64 so formed, and leaving a smaller opening for the ball to emerge through; alternatively, a separate collar piece can be pressed or threaded into the bore after insertion of the spring and the ball detent. Ii desired, the recess can be bored iirst to the diameter of the ball and then counterbored (to a suitably larger diameter) from the opposite side of the insert, Where it will be plugged after insertion of the detent followed by the spring. When the insert is in place in the reel, as shown in FIG. 6b, the ball detent grips the inside edge of ange 31b. Subsequent views show the receiving adapter or insert and its identical reel.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show, from the front and the same side as in FIG. 2, receiw'ng or lower adapter or insert 42. Supporting spindle 26 has protrusion 65 registering in one of three equidistant slots 66 in axial bore 68 of the insert. The reel is superimposed fragmentarily in phantom in FIG. 7, showing the position of one of ball detents S2 against the inside edge of the reel ange contacted on the opposite side by ange 71 of the insert; in FIG. 8 that first detent is concealed (indicated in broken lines) behind near ange 31a of the reel, which is partly cut away to reveal diametrically opposed detent 52 against far flange Sib. Flange 71 of the insert rests against the outer face of the mentioned iiange of the reel and carries sernicyiindrical boss 72, which tits into the semicircular indentation provided for such purpose, as previously shown.

The generally cylindrical body of this adapter or insert for the lower or receiving reel lacks a segmental portion, leaving space 74 within the inner edge of the insert iiange; the body has main portion 60 and hook-shaped portion 67 outlining adjacent hollow 75. Arm 73` is partially visible in each of these later views, the middle portion of the arm being retained slidably in slot 78 undercut in the face of main body portion 60 of the insert, as shown more clearly in FIGS. l0 and 1l. Rounded free end 76 of the arm protrudes beyond the edge of ange 71, while the opposite end terminates in leaf spring 77. The spring, which is located in hollow 75, is shown pressing the visible end of ilm 1 against the inner surface of hook-shaped portion `67 of the insert body. The lm continues upward and to the left in FIG. 7 about rounded end 76 of the arm, which in the illustrated extended portion of the arm lies on the circle formed by the indicated seven supporting rollers (spaced at 45 intervals about the reel flanges), and then counterclockwise to form successive layers in spiral configuration on the supports.

The arm is retained in the extended position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 by protrusion of ball detent 87 through aperture 89 in the intermediate portion of the arm. The

detent together with biasing spring 86, is located in transverse bore 85 in. the main body portion of vthe insert, the bore having. plug, 84" filling its opposite end; Al'so present in the arm, between aperture 89'an'd rounded end 76.is similar aperture 88" through which the ball" detent protrudes when the arrrr isA the oppositel or retracted position, as; shown in EIG. 9L Handle 9;(Ithereof protrudes sidewise:from-.fthearma(iseeFIG,A 7) and beyond the side of ther insert so that the handle can be manipulated readily to nrove` the armto and; from the* extended: and retracted'4 positions:

Thereceivingadapterorinsertris'shown in FIG; 9f'ree of therreel andiilm; With the arm in the illustrated` retractedl position, the rounded ('shown' as senricylind'rical) free end restsy in notch` or' indentationVA 80 in the main body portion of the insert, with the flat lower surface of the end against the notched body, and the spring on the opposite end of the arm is located deep in the hollow formed between the body and the hook-shaped portion. As previously indicated, FIG. 10 is a section taken through the adapter along the last mentioned transverse bore, showing additional details of the means for` retaining the arm in position, and FIG. l1 is a section taken perpendicular thereto and illustrating further the various previously mentioned features. FIG. 11 lshows in broken lines the extended position of the arm, solid lines showing the arm in the retracted position.

The apparatus of this invention requires no special material or methods of production. The reels may be made conveniently of aluminum, steel, or other metals or of plastic or the like, and the adapter or inserts may be similarly composed. The reel flanges may be stamped out, forming apertures to receive the pins upon which the rollers are carried, and the pins with the rollers on them may be assembled to the anges and retained in place by swaging the pin ends protruding through the apertures. The adapters or inserts may be formed by casting or molding, with boring and threading or other machining as indicated.

Operation of this apparatus is readily understood. Film or other web material may be wound onto the illustrated lower reel fitted with the receiving insert of this invention, being unwound from the illustrated reel fitted with a delivery insert as described or may be unwound from any other suitable reel or unwinding device. The end of the film to be delivered is strung through the driving sprockets and past the lens system in the usual manner and then is passed between the anges of the lower reel, after the insert has been snapped into place into the open center thereof with the semi-cylindrical boss engaging the semicircular indentation in the reel flange. Care is taken to ensure that the laterally protruding handle of the retaining arm carrying the retaining leaf spring eX- tends to the right of the projector, and that the arm is in the retracted position (in which it normally will be after the insert has just been placed within the empty reel). Then the film end is passed over the roller just before the free end of the arm, then over the arm, and is inserted between the spring and the hook-shaped surface of the insert and optionally into the hollow beyond. The handle is manipulated to move the arm into the opposite or extended position (i.e., with the web-supporting arm on the circle of supporting rollers), whereupon the film end is retained in place by the spring. The reel may be given one or more turns if desired to cover the set of supporting rollers with a layer or two of the tilrn. Actuation of the drive mechanism for the projector will advance the film in the usual manner and will cause the lower reel to rotate to wind it up. After completion of the winding, such receiving adapter may be removed merely by retracting the arm, which releases the retained end of film while also slackening the inner wound layers, and then by snapping the adapter out.

When the described delivery insert is employed, the inner end of the film is placed about one of the rollers and into `the open center ofthe reel-`y where it already is found if, the film has 4been woundv onto-thegreel with the aidf of the receiving adapter or insert just' mentioned. In fitting the delivery insert to thesreel, the' operator holds the end of the film at the desiredx side' (next tothe projector'ar-m, asill'ustrated and then slips theA delivery insert into the reel from that side; at the same time laying'the' filrniintoY the helical pathway or` track. Ofy course, the semicylindricalbossv on the insert flangemust coincide with the semici'rcul'ar' indentation in the'reelifiange. The adapterl or insert, with the reelf in= place onit; isV then slid onto-the upperspindle'of" the projector and: is retainedi'n place by threadingfoneI thumb' screwf againstthe spindle (fwhich1 keeps thereel from slidingl othe spindle) and* threading the other thumb screw against the projector armi (which. prevents the reelfrom turning on the spindle). The end of the film is then led in the usual order through the projector and is secured into the receiving insert in the lower reel as previously described.

In operation the transporting mechanism draws the inner layer of film from about the group of rollers in the top reel, and as the film follows the helical pathway it moves axially or transversely of the reel and the insert until it is outside the reel, whereupon it is free to pass through the projector and wind onto the lower reel as before. The trailing end of the film being wound off the delivery reel may be retained in place during its revolution about the reel (which remains stationary) by means of an elastic band or the like placed entirely about the reel between the anges to contact the outer layer, or the end may be provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive or other suitable means to retain it to the underlying film layer.

The advantage of not having to back-wind the film or other web material between runs has been mentioned and will be apparent. The reels accommodate either delivery or receiving adapters or inserts, as indicated, and also will accommodate a plain cylindrical insert (bored to receive the conventional spindle) if it is desired to use the reels in the conventional manner, i.e., with the leading edge of the wound film at the outside on the receiving reel. Minor modifications may be made in the means for orienting and retaining the adapters or inserts in the reels, or for retaining the end of the film on the receiving adapter or insert, without involving a departure from the claimed inventive concept. The inserts are readily fitted within and removed from the reels without disturbing the web material wound thereon, thereby greatly expediting the winding procedure.

The use of an additional support in the receiving insert, provided by the reciprocable arm thereof, holds the film tauter during winding than the smaller number of supports present during the unwinding, thereby facilitating the unwinding of the first few inner layers without requiring any adjustment of the reel or its supporting rollers. Adjacent rollers in the reels are spaced along the circumference of the circle in which the rollers are arranged, at an acute angle of arc from one another while each of the rollers in the pair flanking the location of the end of the supporting arm (when in the extended position) of the insert is spaced similarly from it; wider spacing would be conducive to excessive slackening that might interfere with insertion of `the delivery adapter in the reel. Only one movement, reciprocation of the arm, is used to slacken the wound layers and free the secured end of film or other web from the receiving adapter or insert. Other benefits and advantages, with or without modications in the apparatus so used, will become apparent to those undertaking to practice this invention.

The claimed invention:

t. In a substantially cylindrical insert for an opencenter reel having side anges, the improvement comprising an arm retained movably thereon between two extreme positions, the arm being adapted in one extreme position to protrude between the side flanges and help support web material wound on the reel and adapted simultaneously to retain the inner end of the web material fixed with respect to the insert within the center of the reel, the arm= when in that one extreme position preventing removal of the insert from the reel, the arm being withdrawn from between the side flanges in the second extreme position and adapted to slacken the web material on the reel and to release the inner end of the web material with respect to the insert, the insert being removable from the reel only with the arm withdrawn in the second extreme position, and detent means carried by the insert in contact with the arm and adapted to hold the arm at each of the two extreme positions in the absence of external pressure upon the arm eiective to move it fromone position to the other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detent means comprises a spring-biased ball detent protruding outward through a face of the insert, the arm being retained movably along that face and having a pair of indentations therein, each indentation being adapted to receive the ball detent at one of the extreme positions of the arm.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,117,956 Jeffries Nov. 17, 1914 2,540,897 Lindeman Feb. 6, 1951 2,614,761 Camras Oct. 21, 1952 2,628,789 Maxwell Feb. 17, 1953 2,643,118 Burson June 23, 1953 2,880,661 Kaden et al. Apr. 7, 1959 

